The Russian pilots have made 1,631 combat sorties and delivered air strikes at 2,084 terrorist facilities since the military operation started

Andrey Kartapolov

MOSCOW, November 3 /TASS/. Russian warplanes have inflicted tangible losses on terrorists in Syria and have convinced their patrons and supervisors that further financial support to the militants was hopeless, Colonel General Andrey Kartapolov, the head of the main operations directorate of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, said on Tuesday.

"Our aviation has disorganized the command systems and supply lines for the terrorist units that were created for quite a long period of time; inflicted tangible losses on the terrorists; undermined their morale and convinced their patrons and supervisors that further financial support to the militants lacked prospect," Kartapolov said.

Late in October, Kartapolov said that the bulk of terrorist forces in Syria had lost their fighting capacity after the Russian air strikes. Their command systems and supply lines were disrupted. The militants urgently need ammunition, weapons and fuel. Besides, the huge personnel losses are forcing them to place as many people as possible, including teenagers, under arms and create barrier squads to prevent mass desertion from the frontline.

Russia started a military operation against the Islamic State terrorist group in the Syrian territory at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on September 30. The air group in Syria includes more than 50 warplanes, including Su-34 and Su-24M bombers; Su-25 assault aircraft; Su-30SM fighter jets as well as Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters.

The Russian pilots have made 1,631 combat sorties and delivered air strikes at 2,084 terrorist facilities since the military operation started, Kartapolov told journalists on November 3 confirming that Russia had no intention to participate in land operations in Syria.